


Saving the Round Table

by simpleficgirl



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Again, Kinda, Merlin is dead, Merlin is happy, Merlin saves the day, arthur fucking killed him, even tho hes dead, gwaine has to get the knights back together, gwaines pov, merlin comes to gwaine in a dream
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-30
Updated: 2020-06-30
Packaged: 2021-03-04 00:48:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,759
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24994900
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/simpleficgirl/pseuds/simpleficgirl
Summary: After Arthur kills Merlin after discovering his magic, Gwaine has nightmares for months. His best friend dying in his arms haunts his nights, until the night said best friend appears to him and begs him to make things right.Gwaine is tasked with getting the Knights back together, and somehow, getting himself and the others to forgive Arthur.
Relationships: Gwaine & Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Gwaine & Merlin (Merlin), Knights & Merlin (Merlin)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 104
Collections: Merlin





	Saving the Round Table

**Author's Note:**

> This is highly highly inspired by a fic I read where Arthur killed Merlin because of his magic and it basically split apart the Knights, Arthur and Gwen. I can't find it anywhere but if I do I'll leave it here because this is essentially a Part 2 to it. I read it and loved it and this just entered my mind until I had to write it. I literally couldn't stop so please enjoy my ramblings. Also this is my first fic in years because I never write and it's my first Merlin fic so yeah.

Gwaine tossed in bed, visions and memories of Merlin repeating and plaguing his dreams. The one scene playing over and over: _Arthur plunging his sword into Merlin’s chest, Merlin looking down to the wound in shock, and lifting his head to look at Arthur not in betrayal, but regret. “I’m sorry” he whispered, before he collapsed to the ground and rolled over to look at the sky. Gwaine screamed, and ran over to Merlin’s body, watching as the life faded from his glowing gold eyes._

_“Merlin? You’re going to be alright mate. Okay? Hang on.” Gwaine croaked out as he held pressure on the wound. The glowing eyes turned to him and he was met with a small smile. “I’m okay. Destiny fulfilled.” Gwaine tried to quiet him but he kept speaking. “Only used it for good. For Camelot. For Arthur.” Gwaine heard an intake of breath, and his eyes left Merlin’s to look up at the King, who was looking at Merlin, but not with grief. He was emotionless and still. Gwaine felt anger rise within him. He heard the other Knights yelling in the distance, barely allowing himself to be shocked when he heard Sir Leon yelling at Arthur. Gwaine looked at Merlin again. His gold eyes were fading, and Merlin’s grasp on his arm was loosening. “No. You’re going to be fine. You’re Merlin. Nothing will happen to you.” He heard himself pleading. The gold eyes looked up at him once more. “Peace to Albion” were Merlin’s last words before his eyes closed and his last breath left him. Gwaine felt himself let out a heart wrenching scream._

The scene would usually continue, letting Gwaine see himself pounce on Arthur screaming that he killed him before someone pulled him off of the King. But before that scene could unfold, Merlin appeared. At the forefront of his mind. The edges were hazy, and Gwaine was confused, but it felt real; tangible.

“Gwaine” Merlin said. “We don’t have much time, I need you to listen to me.”

Gwaine couldn’t speak, so he was surprised to hear his own voice: “Merlin?” His friend looked back at him and smiled warmly. His eyes the beautiful colour of gold that Gwaine got to see whenever he watched his friend do magic without him knowing he knew his secret. “Merlin? What are you – is this real? Are you alright?”

Merlin smiled again. “It’s real Gwaine, but I don’t have much time. When Arthur-“ He paused. “When I died, my magic tried to return to the earth. It tried to fix the balance.” Gwaine nodded even though he had no idea what that meant. “I can only draw on the magic for so long. Long enough to give you this message, and for you to do what I need you to do.”

“I’ll do anything Merlin, you know that.” He was once again surprised to hear himself say that. Such openness wasn’t common for him and Gwaine didn’t think he would’ve said it if he had full control of his mind. Merlin’s returning smile though, that made it worth it. The smile quickly faded as he began his request.

“I know things have been…tense in Camelot since it happened, Gwaine.” Gwaine almost snorted. Tense wasn’t the word he would use to describe the silence that had fallen over the castle. None of the Knights of the Round Table could look each other in the eyes. Gwaine hadn’t uttered a single word to Arthur since he murdered Merlin, and he knew that Gwen had taken residence in her own chambers since Arthur had returned. “Gwaine, I need you to fix this.”

“Fix what?” he heard himself ask.

“I can see all of you. We’ve been watching over all of you since it happened.” Gwaine’s mind paused on ‘we’, but he didn’t get the chance to ponder it before Merlin continued. “I know you and the Knights are barely speaking beyond simple statements. I don’t even understand that. You’re brothers and you couldn’t have changed what happened.” Gwaine felt himself protest but Merlin held up a hand to stop him and any objections he had died before they were released out into the open of whatever state he was in. “I know you’re angry with Arthur.” Gwaine did protest at that one.

“Angry doesn’t begin to describe it.” He looked up at Merlin again to see the warlock looking at him with what looked like understanding and maybe a small amount of extremely unnecessary guilt.

“I need you to forgive him Gwaine. Or I at least need you to start working towards it.”

“I will never forgive him Merlin. He killed you. You spent years protecting him, saving his life, all the while living in fear that you would be killed for it. Look what happened. He didn’t even give you the chance to explain” Merlin didn’t look surprised at that statement, like he had been waiting for Gwaine to say it.

“I know. I understand if you can’t forgive him, but I do need you to fix the bond between all of you. Even if it can’t go back to what it was. And I know it won’t. But you and the Knights, you and Arthur, you’re all brothers. Bonded by loyalty and a friendship stronger than blood. I know you understand that better than anyone.” Gwaine begrudgingly agreed with him. The bond he had with the Round Table had always been stronger than that he had with his siblings.

“What do you want me to do Merlin?”

Merlin smiled at him again, thawing the ice that had taken hold of Gwaine’s heart the second his best friend died in his arms. “I want you to make it right. I don’t know how. But I need you to get the Knights of the Round Table back together. I need you all to continue to fight for and with each other, to defend Camelot, and Albion, and all that I worked so hard to make come to pass. If the Round Table breaks…if Arthur breaks” he added on, quieter, almost as if he didn’t want Gwaine to hear it, but he did anyway, “then I will have died in vain. I don’t want that to happen, and I know you don’t either.” Gwaine shook his head at that, knowing that he would do anything to make sure Merlin’s sacrifices weren’t for nothing.

“I miss you Merlin” Gwaine said quietly. He looked into the golden eyes again. “I’m sorry I couldn’t save you. I should’ve done more.” He couldn’t even finish the sentence before Merlin started vehemently shaking his head.

“No Gwaine, there was nothing any of you could’ve done. I miss you too, by the way.” He added shyly. Gwaine smiled. “I don’t think I ever thanked you for the loyalty and friendship you gave me.”

“I know I never said it out loud Merlin, but I hope you knew it was always you I was loyal to. Not Arthur. You deserved the same devotion that you gave to him. I became a knight because of you. I settled, found a home. A family. And now you’re gone and it feels like everything I had built is split in two because you were the one that held it together.” He saw tears gather in Merlin’s eyes at that.

“You may not see it this way Gwaine. But you were always the glue. You kept the group together. Don’t say it was me, it wasn’t” He got out before Gwaine got the chance to say no, Merlin it was you. “You kept our spirits high, but beyond that, the others looked to you. You’re a damn good swordsman and I know Arthur trusted you with his life.” Gwaine scowled. “I need you to be the glue again Gwaine.”

“I’ll do my best Merlin. But know that I’m doing this for you, not for him. He never deserved you. Even in death you’re trying to help him.” Merlin smiled and shrugged helplessly.

“Destiny, am I right?” Gwaine couldn’t help but laugh. The laugh caught in his throat as people appeared beside Merlin. One on either side. A beautiful girl who, by the way she was looking at Merlin, was more than just a friend, and on the other side, Lancelot. A brother who was taken from them too soon.

“Lance?” Gwaine asked. He was greeted with a warm smile and a nod.

Merlin spoke again. “They’re here with me in Avalon. Freya wanted to see the knight who I talk about so often” Merlin smiled and looked down as he said that, almost blushing, which made Gwaine’s heart twist painfully, “and Lancelot wanted to see you again, and give you a message”. The conversation was short, and Gwaine knew what he had to deliver. Merlin spoke to him a little while longer, clearly wanting to prolong the inevitable as much as possible. To Gwaine’s dismay, somehow he could feel the connection weakening, as if he was waking up. With one last heartbreaking smile, Merlin looked to Gwaine. “I miss you my friend, please do this for me. And make sure to remember to give everyone their messages. Let them know I’ll try and see them soon. And about Arthur…he does feel guilty. I’ve seen it. He’s spent months silently suffering and what he did to me is killing him. He’s filled with regret. So know that he feels remorse. It may make it easier to talk to the prat” He said with a quirk of his lips. “And Gwaine?” he looked back at the knight. “Thank you. For being the best friend I could’ve asked for.” Gwaine reached out to touch Merlin, to say so many of the things he still wanted to tell him, but he never got the chance. He woke up with a start, and sat up to stare at the wall. For the first time in months, his heart felt lighter. He cried for the first time that day, finally breaking free of the numbness he forced his soul into, letting himself feel everything. He allowed himself time to breathe, before he smiled, looked up and said: “I got this Merls.”

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Getting the Knights of the Round Table all into one room was difficult enough, but getting the King in there without having to deal with him himself was a challenge Gwaine was struggling with more than he’d like to admit. He knew he only had the strength to see the man once, so he chose his timing wisely. When they eventually were all sitting at the circular table, Elyan, Leon, Percival and Arthur, with all of them resolutely ignoring the empty seat at Arthur’s right which belonged to Merlin, Gwaine said his first words.

“I bet you’re wondering why I called you all here.”

“Just a bit” Elyan spoke up.

They all kept their eyes on the table, burning a hole with their stares. They couldn’t look at each other. They definitely couldn’t look at the King.

Gwaine sighed. He really didn’t know how to start. Merlin, for all his wonders, didn’t have a genius plan for this one, and said he trusted Gwaine to know what to say in the moment. Gwaine rose his gaze to look at the three knights. He ignored Arthur. “Look, I don’t want to be here any more than you. Even being in the same room as him makes my blood boil.” He didn’t need to say Arthur’s name for them to know he meant the King, Arthur knew it too. “I called you here because…screw it. However I say it it sounds strange. I had a dream last night. It was the same as usual. Arthur stabbing Merlin, Merlin dying in my arms…” he trailed off as all of them paled. They had seen it, and he knew their nightmares were plagued with the same images. He even chanced a glance at the King for the first time in months and saw just how terrible he looked. He had lost a lot of weight, had bruises under his eyes, and the eyes themselves looked soulless, like he had been torn apart. In a way, Gwaine supposed, he had. “But then the dream changed. Merlin appeared.” They all looked at him, confused. “As in the real Merlin. Our Merlin. He was there, talking to me.”

Gwaine assumed he must not have explained it well enough, because Leon sighed at him and said: “So you saw Merlin speaking to you, so what?”

Gwaine scowled at him. “No. It was actually Merlin. He was real, I could feel it. I don’t know how. I can only describe it as feeling like magic.” He felt Arthur shift beside him. “He told me that he didn’t have much time, and that he was draining his magic to be able to reach over the veil and into my dream.”

Percival looked shocked. “That’s possible? He can control dreams?”

“He did mine.” Arthur stated plainly. All four knights, shocked, turn to look at their King whom they hadn’t heard speak in months. Not that they ever sought him out, they hated him enough to not want to speak to him. Arthur spoke again. “It was how I knew of the secret passageway at Camlann. It came to me in a dream, like Merlin was speaking to me. I thought it was just a dream, but I realized after I-“ he stopped. “I realized after, it must’ve been magic that he used.”

The others frowned at him, their anger still as ripe as it had been all those months ago.

Gwaine fought the urge to punch the man in the face. They didn’t even acknowledge Arthur as Gwaine continued. “Merlin told me…he told me that he wanted us to be okay again. All of us.” He said with a half glance at the King. “He said he’s been watching us from wherever he is, and he knows that none of us are even speaking to each other. He said that if the Knights of the Round Table split, that he died in vain.” All of the other four men drew breaths at that. So Gwaine began to retell everything Merlin said as he had received it, all four of the others listening intently, only reacting with facial expressions, never interrupting, for fear of breaking the unspoken truce that had fallen upon them. As Gwaine neared the end, he said: “he wants us to forgive Arthur.”

The King stiffened as the other three men scoffed.

“No” simply stated Percival.

“Not a chance” uttered Elyan.

It was Leon who said the most, and it was the most shocking of them all. “He’s not the man we thought he was. I cannot forgive that.”

They all looked between each other, talking as if Arthur wasn’t sitting right beside them. He remained silent.

“Look,” Gwaine started. “I think all of you know that I hate Arthur as much as you, maybe even more than you. I don’t think any of you truly understood what Merlin meant to me.” He had to take a breath at that, not wanting to get too emotional. “He’s the reason I became a knight, he’s the only reason I stayed in Camelot. He came to me, and asked me for help, because he knew I would do anything he asked of me. Even trying to forgive Arthur.” Arthur looked up at met his eyes then, the soulless pits filled with something akin to hope. “You all know how much I hate him for what he did. Do you honestly think I would have called you here, asked you to keep us together, if it wasn’t what Merlin wanted? Even standing near him right now pains me, all I see when I look at him is Merlin’s life leaving his body.” Looking at Arthur again, his gaze had returned to the table, but Gwaine could see the tears forming. Looking at the other three knights, all of them started to visibly calm, possibly even opening their minds to the idea. Gwaine spoke again. “It’s what he wants. He wants us to be brothers again. To defend Camelot and Albion and all that he helped build. He told me that he knows it’ll never be the same. But that he wants us to be better. If not for each other, then for him. I think these last few months have shown him just how much he meant to us. And the idiot feels guilty for being the cause of our sadness. I told him to stop being so self-deprecating but he just laughed at me.”

Percival cracked a smile at that.

“Sounds like Merlin.” Elyan added. Gwaine grinned.

He returned his face to a neutral expression and looked at Arthur. “He knows you feel guilty beyond words.” Arthur looked at Gwaine, surprised. “He can sense it. Something about a coin and destiny, I don’t know” Gwaine waved his hand noncommitting. “He knows it’s eating you alive, and he wants you to stop feeling guilty. Personally, I wish to see you suffer, but he wasn’t impressed when I told him that.” Gwaine grinned again. “I’ll never forgive you. I think I speak for all of us when we say we never will.” He heard the others hum in agreement. “But the truth is, he wants you to be okay. He wants you to be the King he worked so hard to make you, the King he knew you could and would be. And he knows you can’t do that if you spend all your time hating yourself. He told me he can never come back, but he can spend the rest of your life watching over you, watching over all of us, and silently judging us if we make mistakes or, and in his own words: “continue to be a clotpole”.” The faintest of smiles appeared on Arthur’s face. Surprisingly, it made Gwaine feel better. Arthur met Gwaine’s eyes, and gave the smallest of nods. He did the same to each of his knights, who all seemed to come to the decision that they would do what Merlin asked of them. Satisfied, Gwaine continued speaking.

“A few more things.” Percival groaned. Gwaine smiled.

“Lancelot was there.”

All four of them gasped and looked at each other, before returning their wide eyes to Gwaine. “Merlin told me that Lancelot was with him in Avalon, along with a beautiful girl who is very clearly in love with Merlin. The three of them are there, watching over us. Lancelot had a few things to say to me. He told me to tell you, Arthur,” he turned his gaze to the King, “to respectfully inform you that if you didn’t fix your relationship with Gwen that he would find a way to learn enough magic himself to come down here and kick your arse. He then added to make sure to call you ‘sire’ after delivering that message.” Arthur smiled fondly.

“So Lancelot is alright?”

Gwaine nodded. “I thought you all knew this, but apparently not. It wasn’t Lancelot who returned and stole Gwen the day before your wedding. His body had been summoned by Morgana to do her bidding, and Morgana also enchanted Gwen to fall in love with Lancelot. Merlin knew it wasn’t really him, but he had no way to inform you without letting you know of his magic. When Morgana’s Lancelot took his life, Merlin returned his body to Avalon, letting Lancelot’s true soul be at peace. That was what allowed him to be there with Merlin. I swear, Merls has done so much for so many people that we never knew about.” Arthur looks guilty once again. Gwaine continued. “He may have loved Gwen with all his heart, but he loved being a knight more. He was the best of all of us, and he never would have betrayed you like that. The only time he ever lied to us was to protect Merlin’s secret. Yes, he knew.” Gwaine answered before Leon could ask the question.

Arthur thought over what Gwaine said, and knew in his heart it was true. The guilt he felt for staining Lancelot’s memory was strong, but he spoke again. “Did Lancelot say anything else? Did Merlin?” Arthur added that amendment quietly, and it struck Gwaine that that may have been the first time the King had said Merlin’s name out loud since before he killed him. Another chill took over Gwaine’s body at the thought.

“Lancelot told me to tell you all he misses us, and that he has been proud to watch us grow as knights. Even though he claims he’s still a better swordsman than any of us.” Leon and Elyan chuckled at that. “And Percy?” Percival almost looked shocked that his name, especially his nickname, had been said. “Lancelot said he saw your family, and that they wanted him to tell you that they’re alright, they miss you, and they’ve been watching over you. Apparently your parents said they’re proud of the man you have become, and that Lana misses you dearly.” Percival had to cover his mouth to prevent a sob escaping. Only Lancelot knew of his family and what happened to them; a story he had shared while they had fought together before coming to Camelot. It meant a lot that Lancelot did that for him.

Leon spoke up. “Anything else? From Merlin?” he looked extremely hopeful.

Gwaine smiled. “He has a message for each of you.” Each man looked up at Gwaine in surprise.

“Percival, Merlin says to talk to that girl in the lower town who you keep staring at but won’t talk to because you feel guilty about the idea of being happy so soon after Merlin’s death.” Percival smiled sheepishly, looked up and quietly whispered: “thank you, Merlin.”.

Gwaine took a deep breath. “Elyan, Merlin says to get some sleep at stop making weapons in the forge all night just because you’re sad about him.” Elyan almost looked guilty, but he smiled again.

“Leon,” the First Knight looked happier than Gwaine had seen him in months. “Merlin says he’s incredibly impressed by how well you’ve done in training the knights, especially since he knows you haven’t been eating or sleeping. Lancelot also added in there then that you need to work on your footwork during a parry.”

Leon chuckled and asked: “Did Merlin say anything else about me?”

Gwaine nodded and looked at his friend with a warm smile. “He says thank you for talking to him even if you didn’t know he could hear you. It has kept him company.” Leon smiled and nodded.

Gwaine then turned to Arthur, but before he got the chance to say anything, Arthur spoke. “Don’t tell me. I don’t deserve it.”

Gwaine sighed at him. “Too bad Princess. I told Merlin I’d do this, so I’m going to do it.” Arthur looked shocked at Gwaine’s use of the old nickname. “He told me to tell you to sort it out with Gwen, because he’s sick of seeing his friend cry. He did not specify if he meant you or Gwen. I would assume both of you. He also told me that he’s going to do his best to come see you, but it may take a while. He said he used a lot of magic to get to me and he doesn’t have as much access to it as he once did. He said if he lets down his control to access it all, he may do something too big and he doesn’t want to risk it. As a matter of fact, he said he’s going to try and see all of you.” He turned to look at the expectant faces. “It will take time, I could see how much it was draining him to talk to me as long as he did. But he wants to say goodbye to all of you properly. Arthur, he wants you to be happy, and he doesn’t want you to waste all that he did to keep your sorry arse alive. He also wants you to know more about his magic, but not to ask Gaius because he kept the man out of the loop sometimes so as not to scare him, so you would find holes in the information. And one last thing, but this is coming from me now. He would never ask me to ask this of you, he would never ask it of you himself. But after all you’ve done, you owe this to him. Legalize magic.” Gwaine expected Arthur to look affronted. To scoff and say no. He was not expecting the response he gave.

“Okay”. Arthur put simply. The Knights blinked. Arthur, seeing their confusion, elaborated. “I regretted what I did the second I got back to Camelot. I couldn’t take it back, and I wasn’t going to grovel for your forgiveness because I knew I didn’t deserve it. Merlin was Merlin. I knew there wasn’t a single part of him that was capable of doing me harm. He showed me loyalty and devotion that I have never and will never experience again. Above all that, he was my friend. My truest friend. The one who stayed by my side even when I mocked him and called him a coward because I was too scared to admit the truth. I always said that a man in my position couldn’t afford to have friends. I said it to his face. But he never left. He stayed and fought alongside me and I repaid that loyalty with hatred. I cannot take it back. What I can do is make sure not a single magical being is punished for simply existing. I know it’s what he would have wanted. I’ve been rewriting the laws for months. In truth the only thing I was waiting for was your approval, all of you, but I couldn’t find the courage to call you for a meeting. I don’t know much of the destiny he spoke of. What I do know is that being without him feels like a part of me is missing. I will never be able to fill that hole in my soul. I can instead rule with Merlin in mind, and do what I believe he would’ve done” As Arthur finished speaking, the Knights picked their jaws up from the floor.

Gwaine spoke first. “I know he can hear us. And I know he appreciates that. If I know Merlin and Lancelot, they’re laughing and asking why you couldn’t have said all that to his face.” Arthur laughed, but it was pained. Gwaine spoke again. “Because it’s what he wants, I will swear fealty to you once again. You are no longer the same man who knighted me all those years ago, but looking at you now, I know you are the King that Merlin swore to me you would be. So once again, for Merlin, not for you, I offer my life in service to you, to Camelot, and to Albion.” Gwaine stepped away from the round table, kneeled and bowed his head to a shocked Arthur.

Percival followed next, saying few words but meaning every single one.

Elyan followed, echoing Gwaine’s sentiments.

Leon was left. He kneeled, and from his place he said: “You are not the same man I grew up with, who I spent years fighting beside. But now I can see that the best parts of Merlin, all of him really, lives on in you. I will gladly pledge my life to this Arthur Pendragon.” He glances at Gwaine before adding. “Besides, anyone who can get Gwaine to be this serious for this long has got to be worth something.”

A muffled ‘Oi!’ is heard before Arthur asks them all to rise.

He looks them all in the eyes before looking up, to where he knows Merlin is watching. “I can never right this wrong Merlin. But I promise to do right by you, and I promise to protect these Knights with my life, as you did. I’m sorry my friend. More than you could ever know.” He lets a single tear run down his cheek, knowing that if any man was worth his tears, it was Merlin.

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Days later, when Gwaine returns from a meeting with the Knights and Arthur, and he has a real smile on his face, he knows he’s not imagining it when he feels Merlin beside him, and hears a small voice whisper: “thank you for saving them”.


End file.
